Dripping-valve.



s; L. BRIOKSON. DRIPPING VALVE APPLIOATIO Patented Jan. 18,1910.

11 FILED 12.30. 1909.

WEKNESSESs swim L. nnrcxson, or GALESIBURG, rumors.

DRIPPING-VALVE.

T 0 all whom 'it may concern:

' Be it known that I, SWAN L. ERICKSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Galesburg, in the county of Knox .and

State of Illinois, have invented a new and is automatically opened when the pressure isremoved, to permit the fiow of water from a pipe,.main valve, drip-cup, radiator or other means with which it is connected. It is especially intended, however, for use in connection with- ;air-brake appliances.

The train-pipe in railway rolling stock equipped with air-brakes extends throughout the length of each .car, and acoupling and angle-cock are as a rule provided'to'connect each end of each section of train-pipe with that of the cars to which it is coupled, whereby air communication is established. Each car is equipped also, as a rule, with what is known as a triple valve a valve which charges the auxiliary air reservoir and sets and releases the brake, it (the triple valve) being connected also to the cross-over pipe which-leads to the air cylinder. My improvements are readily attachable to the drip-cup (or water-cup) of. any such valve, and the device maybe threaded into the opening therein in which a plug has heretofore been inserted, and which plug was necessarily removed in order to permit the water to drip from the cupan operation which was tedious, dangerous and very frequently forgotten or neglected. On locomotives the act of pumping air into the main air-reservoir invariably causes a quantity of water to be drawn or forced thereinto, and as the.

compressed air rushes therefrom into the train-pipe a portion of the water is carried along thereby to lodge in the aforesaid dripcups. The yards of railways and other manufacturing and repair establishments are frequently equipped with elaborate systems of air-pipes, generally exposed, and in each depression thereof Water accumulates in the manner and because of thefacts hereinbefore stated.- Gaspipes are frequently disabled by this water accumulation. Any such pipe or pipes may be fitted with a T-at each Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

Application filed April 30, 1909. Serial No. 493,194.

depression, and my device fitted into the de-' It may be at-- pending element thereof.- taehed to steam and other heat radiators for buildings. In fact it is applicable to and effective with any pipe, valve or other device or means which is subjected to either fluid or liquid pressure and in whichwater is aptto accumulate to the detriment thereof. The advantages of the invention arise mainly from the fact that it prevents accumulated water from freezing and bursting or rendering inoperative the valve, pipe or other means to which it is applied; from the fact that the operation of the means to which it is attached is better and said means therefore more effective; and that because it is automatic in its action it requires no atten. tion and is therefore economic in use. On railway trains, in the event of the accumulated Water in any part of an air-brake car freezingand bursting its container, that car must be either set out from the train or switched onto the rearend thereof. All danger of this difficulty arising is eliminated by the employment of my device.

The invention consists in novel features of construction and novel combinations of parts and devices hereinafter described and claimed.

Mechanism embodyin the preferred structural peculiarities of the several parts forming the subject matter of my improvement, and the arran ement and disposition thereof, is illustrate in. the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure l is an elevation of my improved valve in its openposition; Fig. 2, a vertical,

central section, the spring in elevation, and the parts in the same relative positions as at Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an elevation, the parts in closed position; Fig. 4, a top plan; Fig. 5, a vertical, central section of a fragment of a drip-cup with my improvements applied thereto, the latter being shown in elevation; and Fig. 6, a bottom plan.

The same reference character wherever herein used refers to the same part in the dilferent figures of the drawing.

2 indicates a valve body comprising ,a

tapered .or frusto-conical threaded upper portion 3 and an angular lower portion 4: adapted for actuation by a wrench whereby the portion 3 may be caused to engage the threads of a drip-cup 5 or any other similar means intended for any of the pur oses hereinbefore recited. The valve 1) y is provided with an enlarged axial bore or port 6, a seat 7 for a spring 8, and a constricted, cylindrical axial bore 9. The port opening is flared outwardly to provide a valve-seat 10. v 1

The plunger or piston comprises a oylin drical shaft 11 WhlCll fits somewhat loosely in the. bore 6 and has an integral head 12, the lower face of which is beveled and machined to conform in contour with,.and to snugly fit the valve-seat 10,'a transversely grooved extension 13- projecting upwardly therefrom; A referably square stem 14 is pendent from e shaft 11 and fits within the cylindrical openin 9. At its lower portion it is provided wit a transverse slot for a cotter 15. If water should accumulate and freeze around the stem, or even in the cup, the application of a screw-driver to sa1d extension 13 to turn it back and forth will break the ice and permit the water to flow. At Fig. 5, I have shown a pipe 18 leading from an air reservoir 19 to the drip-cup 5. In operation, let it be supposed that the parts are in the relativepositions shown at igs. 1, 2 and 5, the cup 5 to be the drip-cup of a triple valve in communication with the source of fluid-pressure supply, as the airreservoir 19. Upon the cock 20 being turned to permit the compressed air to rush with great force into the valve and thereby the cup, it will act to force the substantially V-shaped valve-disk or closure down to rest partly within the correspondingly shaped opening and on its seat 10, to hermetically seal sald opening against the escape of air. An ordinary gasket, not shown, may be used on said seat if desired. Upon the pressure being removed the spring will expand,

and being seated on its seat '7 and its upperortion resting against the shoulder 16 ormed by the lower ortion of'the shaft 11, will cause said sha and the parts integral therewith to rise to, openthe port. The water contained in the dri -cup, seeking its level, will flow freely t rough the opening 9, the size of which is materially increased by the square stem 14: and cylindrical opening 9.

I claim as my invention In a device of the character described, the combination with a valve body provided with an axial bore, the upper wall about I said bore being flared outwardly to provide a valve-seat, and the lower portion ofthe bore being tubular andconstricted, of ayalve-elosure comprisin integrally, an angular shaft adapted to %t Within the upper portion of said bore, a head adapted to rest in one position on said valve-seat, an extension risingfrorn said head and pro vided with a transverse groove whereby said closure may be given revoluble movements, an angular stem depending from said head and adapted to be revolved, whereby the angular portions thereof may break up accumulated ice within the bore ofthe valve-body, and a spring embracing said stem and adapted to hold said valveclosure normally in elevated position .to open the valve. 1

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th day of April,

FRED LINDGREN,

HnRBER'r L. MILLER. 

